Lost Snapshots
Hi everyone! This is Katiebaby2492 and Chezlovesyou ( Katie and Shea)- and we have joined forces to write Tony and Michelle stories together!
This particular story idea stemmed from a deleted scene on the Season 4 DVD set, in which Mandy finds a picture of Michelle in Tony's wallet while she was holding him captive in the apartment complex in the last few episodes. Enjoy…We're considering continuing this story with Michelle's point of view, so please tell us what you think...
-
The distant sound of approaching thunder echoed through the somewhat dingy apartment. Tony felt his knees ache as the feel of the icy, bare floor began to seep through his pants. The gag on his mouth was too tight, and he strained against it.
She had hurriedly taken him into this bare apartment and made him take off his shirt and jacket, handcuffed him, and took away his wallet and badge and gun. Tony had never felt quite this defenseless. He had briefly considered trying to fight this terrorist, but the danger of it outweighed the risks, and one image continued to revolve in his mind. Michelle.
His eyes grew wide with fury and rage at the situation he was placed in, he could not die now, not today. If he knew he would survive, he would have no trouble trying to apprehend her solo, but now he couldn't take that chance. It was up to CTU now, he thought as the image flashed across his eyes of Michelle finding out about his capture—the last thing Tony wanted was Michelle to hurt or worry anymore. He hoped Jack would find him, Jack could be his only chance.
He was snapped out of his daydreams by the sound of the woman's phone ringing across the room. She stopped reading what appeared on her computer screen to answer the wailing phone. His eyes met the woman's. Hers were dark, bottomless and Tony used all of his will power to not try to lunge at her; something about her was frightening, but he had to think about Michelle. He was not going to do something stupid and mess up their opportunity of new happiness… He had to stay alive.
Her conversation over the phone was done is a low, confident voice, she quickly hung up and Tony knew that now she meant business. She took her time reaching toward Tony's old brown leather wallet, which was resting a foot from her hand. She carefully traced the branded initials on the front corner, all the while, her eyes never leaving his angered face.
She turned her attention to the wallet. She poured out the contents and Tony watched as the dollar bills and coins and a few various coupons tumbled down to the table, hitting it with wooshing and clanging sounds. She abruptly stopped emptying the wallet and pried it open further, she obviously found something that was buried deep in the leather folds. And with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, some color draining from his face, Tony realized what she was going to pull out next…
A breeze blew slightly, rippling his dark brown hair back off of his forehead. The waves crashed gently on the shore creating a soothing, almost tantalizing rhythm. Tony felt the body next to him shiver slightly. With a knowing expression, and as if it were a habit, he gently unlaced his fingers from Michelle's hand and placed them snuggly around her bare shoulders, trying to warm her up. She smiled and leaned back into the crease of his arm and shoulder. Tony looked down at her. She wore a green sleeveless shirt and pants, her hair down, wrapped in tight curls, cascading beautifully over her shoulders. It was how Tony liked her best. Simple, not too dressy, and yet perfect; natural Michelle. It was still amazing to him how easily she seemed to just melt into his shoulder, fitting there seamlessly like she was meant to be the one at his side.
Michelle shivered again, and Tony laughed a little and said sarcastically, "I told you it was going to be cold and to bring a jacket. But wait what was it you said? Oh yeah now I remember…" He continued, making his voice higher, mimicking Michelle's, "No I won't Tony, the beach is never that cold anyway, trust me, I can survive." He playfully laughed at the mad expression on her face. "I hate to tell you sweetheart, but I told you so."
Michelle pulled away from him and stopped in the middle of the sandy road, a look of false anger pasted on her face. "That's it Almeida, you have just crossed the line. I think I'm going to have to report you straight to Chappelle!" She paused letting the words sink in. Tony's mouth opened in mock-horror. "You wouldn't dare!" he laughed. "Excuse me but you have no idea what I'm capable of." Michelle declared, punching him playfully in the arm. Tony grabbed her hand and drew her into an embrace, kissing her on the top of the head. "Fine" He said, "You win."
The breeze died down a little, as they walked down the shoreline, barefooted, feeling the warm sand sink in between their toes, shoes dangles precariously in their free hands. The sun was slowly sinking down; casting the last of its rays onto the ocean creating wonderful accents to the deep blues and greens of the water. The sky was fiery, with a sunset that any artist would die for the opportunity to paint. They stopped by the pier, silently watching the sun dipping towards the horizon line and the people passing by, their hands still intertwined.
A man passed their way, holding a camera and a sign that read "Pictures $3.00" in his arms. Michelle glanced over at Tony, and he looked back at her his eyes and smile saying, "Well if you must." Michelle smiled back, and walked over to the wrinkled man, "Excuse me sir, we would like to have our picture taken." she said. The old man nodded and Tony placed the money in his hands. "Why don't we do it over here?" he asked, pointing to a place over at the end of the pier that overlooked the ocean and sinking sun in the background.
Tony and Michelle walked over to it, and Tony wrapped his arm around her shoulder, feeling once again the wonderful shock of her skin against his. The furrowed man stood in front of them, and holding up his camera he counted to three. They both happily smiled as the picture was taken, and Tony, with his arm still around Michelle, stood there wondering if anything in his life had ever been this perfect—and he knew at the same time it hadn't.
When they later received the black and white picture from the pier, both Tony and Michelle got a copy, to keep with them at all times. Tony kept his in the front part of his wallet, so when ever he reached in for a dollar or coin, he could see her wildly happy smile. Everyday he would look at that picture, Michelle never knew that it was his favorite, and he cherished it as one of his most prized possessions. Michelle's smile and their love with him at all times, right there in his pocket.
After Michelle had left him, Tony often found himself clutching the photo into his chest, freely sobbing, pain wracking his body, rendering him useless for anything else. He contemplated many times to rip it into a thousand pieces and throw it away when their divorce was made final, but some how, the picture always seemed to end up stuffed back it to the bottom of his wallet.
His original plan was to never look at it again, just to have it, just to know that was there, and that it would always be there. Yet nearly every sleepless night he would sneak out of his bed, uncover the worn picture and just hold it, and look at her, just look at them. Then he would somberly rebury it deep in the contents of his wallet. No one else would ever see the picture; he assumed Michelle had long ago gotten rid of hers, even though that thought burned at a hole in his chest. Stealing away in the shadows of the night, her smile would haunt him into a false relaxation and comfort. He still needed her smile, and that reminder of the love they had.
But now, this woman was scrutinizing their picture with her depthless eyes, a slight amused smirk playing across her face as she looked at the image in her hand and the one on her computer screen. "Michelle Dessler. She's the head of CTU now, isn't she?"she asked, full well knowing the answer, just asking so she could revel in his silent, livid response. Tony wanted to claw at her face for finding that memento, and furthermore treating it as though it was any old picture, but he felt nauseous and dizzy—she had found his weak spot. Now he wondered how she would exploit it.
Tony could see the wheels turning in this crazy woman's mind, and she proudly held the fading photo in his direction accusingly with two hands so he could see what she had found, as if he didn't already know. From the distance of the room, Tony could only see the outline of Michelle's face. The stabbing pain bombarded him, and his hairs stood on end at the back of his neck as she refolded the paper and again looked at him, not quite a smile on her face, but her eyes wide, big lips barely open, smugness all about her.
Tony was more afraid than he had ever been in his life.